The Sun. — London, England, 1810-02-10 00:00:00

Col' Le Ell his 0. e , and csiy of out Li WW I Bo's" e bicn pied; iD red by st th3t )11 thi4 s been ,Des 10 I 21201 !, au~ir►u3 who, Tli:.ii; .t}:eit) 1 R‘ir.. • •. • MINUTES OF EVIDENCE.; —en before a Cominittee Af the louse ofrommons, tornted to consider of the Policy . and Condud of the Lac 4 XPCditioll to the Scheldt. THIRD.DAY. FEL.6, fsl*• • , • The Right Hong Sir ionx.Ansrautnsit; f ,Part. in.the Chair. :ZIONtAs KEATt, Esq. Surgeon General of the Army. EZamined by the CL ainittee. • ,Were yo u consu l te d respeting the di seases pre v eut in the Island of Walcheren, before the sail .l4!' ne of the la re expedition was not Were you at any • time subsequently consulted e g l'on teat: subj e ct, an d w h en l—l was consulted • ZPon that su bj ett on l y • so l ate as t h e l atter en d o f eeptemb er . A re Inu conversant with the nature of the emit •Kl, aint prevalent in Walcheren ?—I have understood • "to be the bilious remitting ,fever. Previous to the sailing of the eepedition, were 304 acquained 'with the prevalence of that - disorder at a - particular season of • the year in the province 9f 7le z (*And ?—No other wise than by the publicatioe of ' ir John ' Had you known the dectination of that army at • t hat S •it eason of e the year, should you have thought necessary to take other precautions. than were I taken, to obviate the effed of that malady ? . 1( 4 1 41 Certainly have madte representations to that %t wee. 'What is the nature of the representations you o ould have thought' it your duty make ?-e-To have uo vialed the effect of the sickness as far es lay in my Power by such representations. • bu you thi n k th a t th e e ff es of the disorder could t l .ai'e'bee eln in any degree remedied by any precau ' i " 8 ? —Certainly precautions might have been taken th at Might have 'lessened the malefle. e • Was it known•to you that the. Walcheren malady wee' prevalent at.that" particular, season of the year a• : Which the expedition sailed ?—lt was, as I have described before, by the publication mentioned.. •. Weal are the nature of ihe precautions - to which hi t alludel—Medieinee that might, Lave beep ad -I.ninistered for preventing the ill e ff eets.of the disease "Y the season, such as Sir John Pringle describes which I do not recollect exaffly. Do you think that any precautions, such as diffe • :e 'J nt clothing, or any other mode of disposing of the trO QN3,. or any hospital furniture which was deft= gent, would have been of any avail to remedy the • think,the greatest care was taken upon t hat subject. • Were you‘ at any time applied to, to send out eadutonxl assistance ? -= After. - the, eickneia coin- Intnced, • At Weer period were you applie d to for that pur t's t---The beginning of September, to the best nly,reeollection. bleat were the directions you then - received ?-- - ( *nein number of the Statf Officers weie_required, 41 : 1 d they were thovitied accordingly. , • • • •e k flow many*?-1 think that the first. was two , 'oYsicians, tour Surgeons, and' twenty 'Hospital Mates ; but I . cae refer tO . ducuments,' if the Coin- Alittee pleases, but . . which , documents, I have not "now with me. • . • ve Was there any difficulty in proCeriee: the bum . ' tr ' l7 )f Mates that were required ?—Tltre appeared ' to be very great chfficulty, btu it being the exclusive PtUvilice.ot the liis e ector-General of 'Hoepitals to Provide Hospital Mates, I would beg to refer to him (hi- information. --Dn you know what is the present state of that part' cj_ the detachMent of the Guards -which- sered in alch eren , with respect to sickness ?—I have no eticern at all with the Guards, and do not , et ln whose Medical Department are the Guards ) eeeder their own respective surgeons. Tts whthn do those surgeons report appre ,--..erfebend to their. Commanding -Officers, but I b . `"a not certain they do not report to the Medici, `• 'uoard. Is. the Committees to under;tand that the Guards ' a le r t under an exclusive Sta ff , and are not under the medical Staff ?—Yes.. • • - State to ihecontrnittee what the course of office is Nth respect, to . tie Medical ,a.rtangements of the army from what departnient the Medical Beard receive s its orders ?---From the War-O ffi ce. • - Dees the War-O ffi ce receive an order or in strUdion from. the Cominander 'in Chief, with re-. a v e Pefit to the extent' of fOrce to be provided. for . e s . t he ascretion of the Medical Board, vhat the mime • a nd extent of the arrangements shall be' for 'the • 4 •11. tuber of men, - they are &reeled to provide for ? .. rests with the Medical Board to state the extent of the supplies when they are ordered to Make pro- Vittion for a - certain number of men. When were you first acquainted that the - desti nation of the army. tees to Walcheren • and to the S cheldt ?-:-Not until I received letters from the : l uneacte of Hospitals, then in the Scheldt or Waf cheren. State the dates of these letters ?—The first letter , I bad was dated Augua'tlie Bth, Middleburgh.; re . e'teed the- • Was not it a matter of notoriety to you, as_ early as the 28113 of July, that the expedition was gont io the.Sclteldt? 7 —l 'bad no 'reason to think so from 4 ny documents that I- bad, add I,do not recollect the date of the 28th of July ; it might be so. -: • Do you reco4le& that official intelligence - was teceivedin this country, of the arrival of the arma tbent in' the Scheldt, as July as the ist of August ? •••••-.I cannot say otherwise ; •I have not a recolteclion of it, •• Have you a reeoileetion when t he army first began to be unhealthy ?—The date of the first letter to that ff . # was the Igth of August. When was that letter rzceived?—The Ist of Sex.- tQraber. • Have you that letter now 'in your hand ?—I have nut I can mention the abstract of it, if it is desired. - State the substance of it I—The substance of.that • letter was, I perceive, only some recointnendations ; hat the letter dated. the 20th,, was fur additional _ Staff, videlicet ;• two Plipicians; four Surgeons, one Ins;.eaor, one, Deputy Surveyor, and twelve I-los- Pita! Mates, iiisteo of twenty, as I mentioned be fore. . Did the letter state the amount of the sick in the irni3l , it that tun e believe 'not ; but the document is easily pOcurei. PO'not you recollea that tlw general st4te of the .army, previous to the 2othtf august, was ge nerally healthy, particularly sO ) —lt . was "staied to me to, be generally. healthy, and as a proof 9f if, there were no sick sent over, •or very few with the wounded, who had arrived before. If you bad thought that any peculiar medical ar rangements, in addition to those you had recorn mended before the-sailing of the expedifion, were. advisab:e to be .adopted, why did not you 'redom mend them or carry them into effeek on the. 'autho.. city the • Medical Board possessed, between • the beginning of the month ,and the 20th of August ?-. The Medical Board• have only to obey orders, and it was nt'A their province, as I conceive, to form arrangements ; but in the middle of September I was called before the, Cabinet, where I suggested the'propriety of seleeting "physicia s es to go over and ascertain the nature of the disease and report. • Do not you consider it the duty of 'the Medical department to make representations to. Govern _ ment,in any instance where they think extraordi . nary arrangements are nece - sary to the health of his, Majesty's troops ?.,--The Board 'his •not been called upon to make representations concerning' arrange ment.i, and they conceived they would have ex ceeded their duty if they bad t luntarrly stepped forward. . Did not Lord Castlereagh 'desire to see, you upon this, subje& early in September ?—When I had the honour of a message from Lord Castlereagh to that effect, I was npOn the coast making arrangements 'for the reception of the, sick from Walcheren. At my return 1 immediately waited Upon his Lordship at the office, and saw his Lordship's Secretary ; it was upon that occasion that 1 bad the honour of being calleit as I .before stated, before the Cabinet. Do not you recoiled Lord Castlereagh having more than one conversation .with you upon this stibjeff, and requesting you . would attend his M - jesty's Ministers for the purpose Of suggesting Ao them the best measures which 'occurred to your mind for the relief of the sickness' to which the army was exposed ?—I recoiled it perfealy well ; his Lordship desired me tia'•Wait upon his Majesty's 'Ministers, and asked me whether I had 'any thing . to suggest . ; I answered. his Lordship, that I con. ceived the only ihieg we could do at that time; Was to send over all the assistance in our power, with bark and wine Ad porter, and to remove as many of the sick as could be removed to England. In consequence of that communication you..had • with Lord Castlereagh,' were not three physicians sent to Walcheren, to [mike a special report upon the sickness of the army ?--Subsequently to that . conversation - eiih his Lordship, there were three Physicians sent to Walcheren. : Have you any reason, from the reports you re "ceived from the officers who correspended wilh in Cele army, to pppose.there was any actual want of medicines experienced by the sick of the army ? -From every. tiring I can c4lled. from that corre spondence, I have no reafon to think that the sick were in want of medicines at any onetime. . You have stated that the Medical Board does . not originate any measure, but receives orders from some other office ; from what office does the Me-. dical Beard receive directions ?—From the. Corn mantier in. Chief., generally through the Wu-Office. Did you receive no oifical commudication, with rAre& to the maladies tit .the troops in Wakberen, before the beginning of September ?--Nat officially from Walcheren until thefst of September.. • Did you from any orEee in this country ?—I had no coluniunication witii.any other office than those mentioned presialisly to that time. . You had no official communication Whatever, with respect to the diseases of the troops in .Wal cheren, previously to the Ist. of September ?—To the best of my recollection I had not. Do you receive thei.rdturns of the sick of the regularly ?--Occasionaliy,.but not regularly, as often as they can be made up and sent, they are directed to me. . Did you instral the offisePs of the Medical De partment attctWitlg the army in Walchereu to cor respond with you ?- 7 -Yes. You received no communication from them pre viously to the Ist of September ?--I have observed . that I received iletter on (he 12th of August., Was that a private Or an official letter i—Of ficial. From whom.was thatietter I—From the Inspec tor of Hospitals, the head of the Department. • Waa that the first official communication youre ceived with respett tO the state of .the health of the' troops, in Walcheren ?--That was the first coinntu , -nleation that I received respeCting the troops in Wal cheren, and bras accompanied with a number et woundel, to the best of my recollection. • Were there any sick mentioned in that return These were 'sick and wounded, very few sick; the . whole nurnfief not exceeding three hundred. 'Was the sickness therein stated, the fever which was - aftervv:ir.ls so prevalent among the troops. in Walchereu ? It was not. When did you first hear of that disease ?-0 - n the Ist of September.. From whom did -you hear of that ?--From the. same officer, • When did you receive your first communication from Loid 'Castlereagh on the subjed of the disease . of the troops tn . Walcheren ) —I think it was on the £3d ot-Septernber. Do you4ccolled the date of Lord Castiereagh's letter.?-1 do not recoilea thA I received any let ter•: it was a commun . ,ation - from my assistant at the office chile I was upon the coast. • Do you lecollea at What time that communica tion was made by -Lord Castlereagh to your office I apprehend it most have been a few days previous to the 23d. Are returns regularlimade to you of the state of the heakh of the troops at home ?-011 the occasion of tile sickness prevailing in the army from_Wal cheren, the superintendance and charge of them de volved upon' me, .and I have received regular re turns upon that occasion. Have you , those returns with you ?—t have not, they are in the office. Do those returns comprehend all the sick ] or I merely those, affli6ted t with the Waicheren fever ? 1 All the sick. t. • ' Are those aftli6td with' the itt alcheren f4er . distinguished from the other sick ?—They are. h ato Committee to underatand that there arc or . „ are not reg - alai returns reads of the army,and t e n tore of their diseises, at stated periods, to theiVlediw i l Board or any member of it the army in gene rat, to the. Medical BOatd, \ve make d'report -monthly' to the 'Commander in Chief. • Did the Medical Board leccive direatbns from - the ' War Office n prepare hospitals for. the recei.tiort of the sick and wounded-from Walcheren, and at what period did- it receive those directiOns re 7. eeived directions to prepare hospitals for ttie reeep 7. tion of the sick from Walettereo, tut the period I do noCrecolleCt, but it way be. very easi:y: . obtai tied. Was it not the ;Ith of August I—lt is au official document, - and can be produced .. to the Committee at any -moment, but I have it not in IDS , recollec tion. • • You state that the first letter you received from Waicheren containing any account of tlie disease of the army, was on the ist of Septeber'; are you. quite certain as to that date?-4 have every reason 'to think that this is coirea, which I have taken tr?;in the letters themselves ; it is 'stated to. be dated oa the-20th ; a letter dated the . 19th AA aS certainly re 7 ceived, but it contained nothingbut recommenda-; . tions - for promotion. What is the date Of the letter you received on the Ist of September ?- 7 1, received on the Ist of September; the date ot the Ist was the.l9th, and - of the second the 20th of 'August_ - • Can you at all account for the length of time that letter was coming, from the 20th ot August to the' ist of September cannot. • . Where was it dated front • Is the Committee to 'understand, that it you had known the•destination of' the expedition to, be to Walcheren, you would have made epresentations to Governutent of the nature ot the diseases incidental AO that island ?—lf called upon 'so to do. . Not•otherwiie ?—Not othetwise . : - Had you knovi n the destination - of the expedition to Walcheren, though not particularly called upon, Would you not have provided 'medicines payer for an army going upon that expedition ?—lf I had known it had been.to Walcheren I *timid certainly have thought it my duty to have sent a larger quan tity of bark; I conceived it to be a secret-expedi tion, that it was not proper I should be informed of. Is-there any Other Medicine you would hiAVO sent, 'besides a greater quantity of bark, if you had known of the destination of that; expedition ?--I conceive that the medicines were sent in the fullest propor tion for. the numbers of the•army, therefore 1 should not have thought *it necessary to have added to any thing but bark, more pat ticularlf as . it ivaS so short a distance. How long after the expeciition sailed whs it that you knew it was atually gone to Walcheren ?—.I. do not reeolleer that I had any knowledge of it, until - the date of the first let ter from the Inspettor of Hos pitals upon that service. •a y • Did not you in common with the rest of his Maje sty's subjects, hear of the landing of the troops, upon the publicatidn of the Gazette, containing Lord Chathain's letter ?'—Certainly. "Then as soon as you knew - of the publication of that Gazette, you - knew that the troops were gone to Walcheren, did you not :—Certainly. Then it you would hat e sent a • larger quantity of bark had you known that 'the destination was to Walcheren, why did you not send that 'additional quantity of bark when. you knew hi lad that tho army was thew ?—lt was my duty to wait. for in formation; as I:Conceive,• from }he head of the *de partment, anel for requisitions, without which I have it not in my power to sent out stores ri medicines„ When Was tire first requisition -in,al.:,to you upon the_ subjett ?—On the .11th of September, and re 7 Ceived on the 18tIr. ' • 1 • • Where was that re6eived from-?-c--FrOrn burr • That was dated the . 11th of September ?-Dated the 11th of September, at Aliddleburg,.. From the Inspeaor of Hospitils What did that require ?L--Together with many other medicines, bdt not in great 4uundane,looplbs. of. bark. . When, waa that 'sent ?--It was ordered imtne4i ately by-me front the Apothecar' General the same day ; the 18th. Do you know when it was dispatched ?—lt - was delivered to the Storekeeper, Gerrer.d on'the 27th of - September, shipped by the .Storekeeper General on . the 30th of September, and received into:Store at Walcheren on the 15th of Odober. ••• • Do you knOw how it happened.that an order is- sued by you on the 18th.'ot September, to he •cuted immediately, was - not executed till the 27th ? —There was noirequest tnade.to have, it sent oy r any express in any more immediate manner ; it was stated that the - medicines would shortly be wanted, Do you mean that in the requisition made to. you from Middieb, , :gthere was no pressing request that it should be sent' immediately ?—TI!e word ately. was, I believe; Usedgenernity, but. riot to 'de-. sire -immediate conveyance by any express to re; quire dispatch'. ' . Do you know whether in point of faa there was any want of bark experienced by the sick ill:1'e believe not. Will you inform the Committee how it happen ed, that you who would have thought' it necessary' . to'anticipate this want if you had known the' .Fxpe-! dition was destined to ;Waleheren,' did when you, bad that requisition made lb you so Lte os the isth of . September, not think it a pressing demand.? — There was nothing said that it was wanted in - any, .hu'ry ;'and I attend always to.the requiSitions. • You' did - not recoiled at that time that you would bate furnished them with a larger quantity of bark, if yoh had koown that they were .destined to Wal: cheren ?—Had it! been left to me in the first instande to havefurnished bark, 'I might have furnished a larger quantity to Walcheren, and I believe should ; but. when it came to be the-eluiy of the Inspeaor of Hospitals upon the spot to give me information• and to make requisitions, I v.)as then Obliat;:d to conferin to the requisitions: e. Do you happen to know what quantity of. bait is usually provided' for ships of war. in his Majesty's service ?—I do not. How soon could' you have sent this bark, if you 'had thought it had .been immediately required ?—I believe that the bark that was sent over before this reached Waleheren went id a very short space of. time ; I do not, exactly know what, but there were. - Iwo quantities ot .bark - ; one in. a division, and ano ther 'subsequently, that reached Walcheron I under. .4tand.beforo this bark did.. • • • - , When' did these two gitatilities go from ,En find den divisions orrrie.iieines,, containing ei•thleeN hurt:. . ductpQllilds of li•tric,,,kre originally sent out with ihe expedition; this 1 / 4 •:;,:is taken int() the chief depo(Ai Veere, it t !tat the iVilr)le sas i :stied from thence to the different services by tl 7th of 0 - tiober, except some stall qu'antiiii.;...s in., dtilach mem: - • Whf:n did y,04 Inrk go cronl Englaild ?'--`One Thousand 'pounds of bark were pidered frOin the-* ApOthcclrA_General nl 9 of Septz..'inheri . . which were shipped on the 3Gth,.as:l have fore . ; they appedred to have arrived at Fiushing some time prior.t.o . the t tth of .October. The 7th of OL- - tobzr is. the time st Mlich.th m e for mer supply was issued out ?---;Except was un der the charge : , and in the care of - the regimental officer in the detachment cheats. bid •not you state there were two,other cumtitiei pfnarksentlint.in d:visions the &th or-Oc, tGber seveuhUndred.pounds were.received.iuto store at, Veere,: part of •eight hundred pounds kthj . ch'had arrived at Flushing by the King'GeOrge picket. At whattitym did, that. Arrive. at Flushing 1-11 arr4 , ed, at `Rufhing, by the king George.pacVet on the Lath.: • • .• • . _ . . . .. . I understood: you to say there %V e . r 0 tWO other pat cztli of - bark ..T. , 'llich hal arrived.. at- Flosbi% ante ced.cot to :the. arrival of that which went from this couutry On the 30th of September i-H-They were seat, but I find, not received;; they wee received the &pi have now me.ntiot*d . totheCommlte: —.. When were they senti—lt dqes nut ppNar 'what day they Were sent off by my Present memoran :dani, but they :were,received on those 'days.. Dos it appear when they were ordered ?—1 can acquaint, the Cominittee by the, officol paper',; on the 17th, 1 rtth, 95!1.1,1i - nd 27. h of Oc.tober, there arrived on each day . five handled pontids. - Have yOu,any reason tO believe that on or before the 6th of Septernber an a pplic - a non' was made frog the COtpmander in Chief's Office, to the Office of the Secretary of State, to desire that .the . Transpor t. Bectici , would providc tonnage immediately for the conveyance of two Physicians, and some :other dical Officets, I believe tWenty, together with four tons of Medicine do not recollect it, hilt never theless it may be proved to be so. kxplain what articles are included under the tern:). olmedical comforts ?—I consider wine, porter, har.:. Icy, rice, oatmeal; &c. • Do you.know.that there were a.sofficient numhci of medical comforts at all times for the army in Walcheren ?—They do not fall . boder 7.-r.y Cog nizance.. • Under whose . cognizance does that fall ) —The _Contmissary General. . • • Do you knoW that'at one period in' the Island of NYalcheien theitt.ciere not more than three hundred • pounds of bark in store, a quantity 'slated as not more than sufficient for five days consuniption ?—l'Avat not infoithed - of any . such defitaency ; but when I . had a report of only fifty pourids.intOre, I very shortly heard, .in a very tew days more, 'that there Were four hundred • pounds morp - founcton board; vessel. At what time did you- receive that report of fifty pounds only of bark being in stole ?--On the.3l:l of Ottober. Do you know that at any time there. as not -sntilicient 'quantity of bark - to administte to the sick in the Island of Walcheren., in . . the .prnportion'that that medicine would li4vel3Cell there been a suffiCient quatitity there I—l hive a1;- ready stated that I do not knuw'cf any time when there was that dt..ficieney. By whose order,: or, at 'whose request does the. Cothmissary General.' send out what are called medical comforts to the army ?- 7 -Fatit not infiarmed of that. • • By whose orders are Medical COmfortS stered the sick ?--The head of the 4ledical-De-' partment 'upon the sptit. , To whim does the head of the Ale - clic-al De partment upon • the spot,apply for a larger propor-i• lion_ of Medical comforts, it he should find alarger proportion necessary ?—tapprehend.that tilerr , is ho other sourcebut from the ComMissuipt department. I understoo4 you to say, that'if on bad knowh the destination of the troops to have been 'to the Island 'of WAclieren, yeti Would have sent out more ;pat . wine as •well as - bark ) --Such I•frfight hmierecornmended,- but I had no power in sending any port wine.. whom Mast.that fecoMmencla.tion have been made ?--To the N'Var Qi ice. Of what does the Medical Board , consist ?-oi s three members. • . • Who are those members ?--The Physician Ge ntrak the Surgeon General,. and the Inspedor Ge. nerar of Army.. Hospitals. - • Who is the head of that Board ?—the Physician Gen crag. • Are all returns made to the Physician General ultimately from all thqdepartments incluaed tinder that BoEtrd ?---=The returns are not made to . the Phy cian General. , • To whom are they 'made ?The returns froth the, regiMents are- made 10 the Inspeaor General; the returns from foreign service. are made tn Surgeori General. . 'lNhat returns are made to the Physi6an General?' —None. -• • Do . the InspeEter General and the Surgeon neral repoit to th.e Physician . General.?-41s only a geard.on particular occasions, each'niernber has his indiitillnal duties. • How comes the Physician General to be called the Head of the Board i--;Whenever tyre three meet 'at the Board,' the Physician , General Preside S.. How often does that happen :=Upon very few occasions ; when returns are made from Head Quarteri; or the Secretary at War, to the three as a Board. Did the 'Board ever meet on the•subjed of ,the diseases of the "army . in Waicheren ?if-Never upon the subje6t of the diseases. • Were they ever ordered to meet on that _subjed ?, —They were ordered to rueet on th'eSubj'ed of the supplies of lietf. • - ; •.. When were they soOrdered to meet believe it wat tii.the month 6f,fune. • • .I have Understood front you, that - you did not know what was the destination of the array ; I no‘.. ask, whether, subsequent td the Bo Pit) g of the e.F.a pedition, and when the disease•of ttie army had broken ou!, any order was aiven froM any of the de.* parttutnti of State to the Medical to meet Unen l3 I OA TO rill be th' S 1 ,. . c eVi" Dutch th east jai!, al it will i yo nve ly th I MA ° n Wi th :c. B r e ' ,olderg• 0 vier o , ck and g he is lajoriEY Ileagan t 10r and ar s t bat :ern* ued on inter - ! isiatare which nt uf ;emen t ntii the rights P ourldA use, a'" Brita in !, y, it 1 . 5 t h e ft. ftei,trio fie or silr te Pia!' Hot ls l ) 1 11;5 °l' I.lec t A idresst that (11 ` Ling t l ' 6 n 1 os . ip.istep t ~ h 0 kit air i‘11• Did V./ ° ' 11 th° lll4 VeM en j; i Lo t"- Gentle' SC' ['- her vnas s, Dv"' Juria on dor wing by LY;- an d :11p1Or6,A rerpooll g - of to' ed sorb°, arr ive° ate yes'. French Vag/ !o7 toni er; car It. AIL' of, that lived io iron' rdeJulgt saifir 'al Ea s rance eTerii g ~r ), Teland.; acs, and 'cesar, it igeAv fling hi! arrives e, from il ~~